Hopper feeder



Patented Jan. 19, 1937 UME STATS PA'EET OFFICE 15 Claims.

In the art of preparing cotton and like brous material for carding, it is customary to provide a web or lap of the ber by forming it on a picker or lapper, and the loose ber is, in standard practice, supplied to the picker from a hopper feeder of well known construction. Originally, the hopper feeder was employed for the combined purpose of both feeding the picker and blending and mixing the ber to be fed. Modern methods of preparation, including opening and other treatment, have removed the necessity for the blending at this point so that it has become desirable to feed the picker with a less complicated and less expensive and more compact mechanism.

The primary object of the present invention is to meet this requirement, and a further object is to distribute the brous material in a more nearly even sheet and in a flufer and better prepared 20 state to be acted upon by the beater of the picker than heretofore.

In present standard practice, the conventional hopper feeder receives the cotton or like ber from the preceding opening and cleaning mech- 25 anism, and, in delivery of the cotton from the hopper feeder, it is tumbled and rotated by the action of the aprons in the hopper feeder, and this tumbling and rotational action ultimately forms the cotton into approximately a cylin- 30 drical roll of relatively dense ber. This tends to lessen the uniformity of the feed of cotton from the hopper to the picker, and consequently lessens the uniformity of the lap discharged from the picker. Correct feeding of the picker should 35 include provision in the hopper for delivering the ber in a loose and fluffy condition, and at a Very uniform rate.

In greater detail, an object of the present invention is to eliminate the necessity for elevat- 40 ing the cotton in a hopper feeder by means of a pin apron, and the consequent elimination of the tumbling which causes the formation of the above-mentioned cylindrical roll of relatively dense ber. The elimination of this objectionable feature is largely attained by the present invention in the provision for feeding the cotton by gravity into the mechanism for distributing it to the feed apron of the picker. A further object of this invention is the dividing up of the hopper into such compartments as preclude opportunity for any substantial compression of any substantial area or bulk of ber being fed.

With these and other objects in view as will in part hereinafter become apparent and in part be stated, the invention includes a hopper feeder having means for delivering to a picker or other machinery the cotton or like ber in an open, uify condition affording maximum opportunity for efficiency in the operation of the picker.

The invention also includes the dividing of the hopper into compartments so located and restricted in area as to reduce, substantially to the point of elimination, opportunity for compression of the fed-in ber incident to its delivery to the hopper from the distributor or other source of supply.

The invention also includes in such a hopper feeder rolls and means for treating the ber for further opening the same in delivering it to the discharge apron of the feeder.

The invention still further includes in such a hopper feeder mechanism a pin cylinder and a doffer cooperating therewith for effecting the desired additional opening of the ber as it approaches the feeder apron.

The invention also includes in conjunction with such a hopper feeder the provision of a serrated plate or comb so located relative to the layer of cotton on the feeding apron as to render such layer substantially uniform as it passes out of the hopper to the feed rolls of the picker.

The invention still further includes the division of the hopper into compartments by means adjustable for varying the relative capacities of such compartments.

With these and other objects in View, the invention comprises certain novel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts as subsequently specied and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing,-

Figure 1 is a largely diagrammatic, partly Vertical sectional view of a hopper feeder embodying the features of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical section therethrough taken on the plane indicated by line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing by numerals, any appropriate distributor may be employed for delivering lint cotton or like ber to a hopper feeder. A standard conventional form of feeding cotton to the hopper feeder is the rake-head distributor 2 having the usual endless belts carrying the rake-heads 3 with their prongs l located to drag the ber along the distributor housing across a battery of the hopper feeders, For the saving of space, the hopper feeder is indicated in the accompanying drawing as shorter than in actual practice, and may be of any length required to accommodate the requisite quantities of cotton according to the head room provided in the par- CII ticular plant. Each hopper feeder contains a hopper 9 which is divided into compartments 5, 5, by partitions 6, 6, each mounted removably in the hopper and arranged to be adjusted along the hopper by securing bolts 'I extending through adjusting slots 8 in the side walls of the hopper, whereby the compartments 5 may be relatively varied in their containing capacity, or the partitions may be adjusted along the slots and other partitions inserted whether to divide the space uniformly or in graduated form as found preferable according to the character of the fiber being fed and the results as shown by the discharge from the hopper 9. The hopper feeder comprises primarily a boxing, casing or ue I extending from the distributor housing 2 downward to the delivery apron I0, which is preferably in the form of an endless belt lattice apron, the iiue or boxing terminating just above the slats of the apron. Within the hopper feeder, and also within the lower or discharge end of the hopper 9, are arranged the feed rolls Ii, II, and immediately beneath said rolls within the flue or boxing I is located the pin cylinder l2 having a large number of sharp pointed pins I3, I3, approximating the arrangement of the pins of the conventional lifting apron of a hopper feeder. These pins I3 are set forward at a slight angle, that is they are arranged at a tangent to a circle about the axis of and somewhat smaller than the circle of the cylinder I 2 itself, the pins being pitched in the direction of rotation of the cylinder. Thus, the pins are destined to effectively engage the fiber and tear it loose from the sheet or mass fed through the rolls II.

Arranged within the boxing or flue I is a dofer roll I4 having a series of arms terminating in iiexible flaps I5, I5, of such material as leather, and proportioned and located to strike the pins I 3 in the course of rotation. The doffer roll I4 and the pin cylinder I2 are rotating in a direction to intermesh if they were gear wheels, but the doffer roll is driven at a very greatly higher speed than the speed of the pin cylinder, so that the several flaps I5 strike the pins successively and knock the fiber therefrom with sufficient velocity to throw it the entire distance across the iiue I, so that it strikes the opposing wall thereof at a substantial height above the apron I0, and falls by gravity onto the apron. 'Ihe opening of the ber is thus rendered quite effective and the layer of fiber on the apron is built up in loose, fluffy form. As the apron Ill is maintained in continuous movement, the layer of cotton or other fiber thereon is continuously being moved toward the discharge side of the flue I. The iiue is formed with an opening I I6 at the said discharge side to allow the fiber to be discharged therefrom to the feed rolls of a picker i 1, the details of which are not illustrated. It should be apparent, however, that the picker Ii may be any conventional picker, or may be the improved picker shown, described, and claimed in my co-pending application filed even date herewith.

Immediately above the opening I6, a serrated plate or comb I8 is fixed to the side of the flue I With its teeth I9 extending down over the upper portion of the opening I6 so as to rake across the upper surface of the layer of ber on the apron during movement of the layer in its discharge. Thus, the comb or serrations I9 tend to level off and even any irregularities in the said layer of fiber and to prevent any unusual thickness thereof from discharging to the picker I1. The plate or comb I8 is preferably adjustably fixed to the side Wall of the boxing or iiue I, as by bolts 23 extending through the plate and through vertical slots 24 in the side of the boxing or fiue I, so that the plate I8 may be adjusted vertically to vary the thickness of the layer of fiber being discharged through the opening I 6. Other leveling apparatus may, of course, be employed in lieu of the comb I8 so long as it effectively levels the discharging sheet and prevents any unusual thickness thereof or pronounced irregularity in such thickness.

The feed rolls II, the pin cylinder I2, and the doifer roll lli are al1 driven from any appropriate source of power, not shown, and each is mounted with its journals in bearing boxes at the opposite ends of its journal shaft adapted to be shifted for adjusting the 'respective part, as required. For instance, the rolls I I have their journals extending through the horizontal slots 2U while the journals of the pin cylinder I2 extend through the vertically located adjusting slots 2I, and the doffer roll has its journals extending through the diagonal slots 22. Thus, the feed rolls II may be adjusted toward and from each other, and the pin cylinder I 2 may be adjusted toward and from the feed rolls, while the doifer roll I4 may be adjusted toward and from the pin cylinder I2. These adjustments are desirable to insure most effective operation according to the particular fiber being treated and its condition.

In operation, the rake-heads continue to bring quantities of cotton past the hopper feeder or flue I, and as much of the cotton drops into the hopper 9 as is permitted by the space left therein incident to cotton discharged by the rolls II. This is a continuous operation, and, therefore, there is a constant tendency toward rolling and compressing the cotton toward the opposite side of the hopper feeder from the side of approach of the cotton, and, of course, since large quantities of cotton are carried on past the hopper feeder to the next one, and so on throughout a whole battery or series of hopper feeders, the tendency toward compression of the ber in any particular iiue or hopper feeder I is against that wall remote from the vdirection of approach of the cotton. By providing the partitions 6, and thus dividing the hopper up, the compression is reduced to a minimum, and by a suflicient number of divisions may be practically entirely eliminated, such quantities of ber as may be accommodated falling into the compartments and the balance sliding and rolling over the tops of the partitions without any appreciable or harmful compression of the cotton between the partitions or within the compartments thus formed in the hopper. Any slight compression within the confines of the reduced area of a compartment 5 will be largely, if not wholly, overcome by the action of the feed rolls and the subsequent action of the pin cylinder and doffer. Thus, the cotton thrown by the doifer from the pins I3 will be scattered across the apron Ill and accumulate thereon sufiiciently for providing the requisite thickness of layer as the apron continues its movement, and this scattering action of the doffer insures a layer of cotton on the feeder apron I that is light and fluffy and largley, if not entirely, free from any appreciable lumps, masses, tufts or compressed portions.

The hook-up for the driving of the apparatus may be varied largely, but it is preferable to have the feed rolls and pin cylinder I2 synchronized with the drive for the apron I0, so that, when either stops, the other will discontinue movement; and, of course, the doing roll can be connected to the same source of power so as to stop when the other parts discontinue movement, but continued movementl of the doifer will only be lost motion and would not result in the congestion that might result if the apron l ceased to move and the feed rolls Il and pin cylinder I2 did not.

It will be observed that the operation of the apparatus is thus such that the present improved hopper feeder possesses all of the yadvantages of the conventional hopper feeder with none of its disadvantages and with many points of superiority. In the operation of the invention, the ber is always delivered to the apron I0 and thence to the picker or other apparatus in a very loose, fluffy condition, and there is no possibility of any matting or packing of the ber within the ue I.

It should be understood that the feed rolls Il are driven by gearing of the variable speed type to enable the speed of said rolls to be varied relative to the other operating parts in the boxing or ue l, according to the weight of the lap to be discharged from the picker fed by the present improved apparatus. For heavier laps, the speed of the feed rolls Il will be relatively faster than for lighter laps.

It should also be understood that with cotton and like ber under certain conditions the doing roll may be removed or omitted without destroying the value of the feeder structure, and under certain conditions it may be preferable to remove or omit the doing roll.

What is claimed is:

1. In hopper feeders, the combination with a distributor for lint and like ber for directing the ber across the hopper feeder, of a hopper coacting with said distributor, said hopper communicating with said distributor in positon to have lint or like ber fed across the intake end of the hopper for delivery of such ber thereto, and means dividing the hopper into a series of compartments for eliminating the propensity of the ber in crossing the intake end of the hopper lo non-uniformly pack or be compressed at one side of the hopper.

2. The combination as claimed in claim 1 with ber opening means beneath said compartments.

3. The combination as claimed in claim 1 wherein the compartments are formed of adjustable partitions.

4. The combination as claimed in claim 1 with feed rolls located to receive the ber from said compartments.

5. The combination as claimed in claim 1 with feed rolls located to receive ber from said compartments, and a pin cylinder for tearing the ber from the feed rolls.

6. The combination as claimed in claim 1 with a pin cylinder fo-r acting on ber discharged from said compartments and a doffer roll for striking ber from the pins of said pin cylinder.

'7. The combination as claimed in claim 1 with a ue in which said hopper is located, feed rolls for receiving ber from said compartments, a pin cylinder for tearing ber from the feed rolls, and a doifer roll for knocking ber from the pins of the pin cylinder, all located in said ue.

8 A hopper feeder comprising, in combination, a distributor for lint and like ber for directing the ber across the hopper feeder, a flue (3o-acting with said distributor, said flue communicating with said distributor in position to have lint or like ber fed across the intake end of the ue for delivery of such ber thereto, a hopper arranged in the ue. means dividing the hopper into compartments for 'independently receiving ber delivered to the flue and thereby eliminating the propensity of the ber in crossing the intake end of the ue to non-uniformly pack or be compressed at one side of the flue, and opening means for said ber below the hopper within the ue.

9. The combination as claimed in claim 8 wherein the ue has a lateral discharge opening and a serrated plate is arranged with its serrations extending across the said discharge opening for leveling the layer of ber discharging from said flue.

10. The combination as claimed in claim 8 wherein the ue has a lateral discharge opening and a serrated plate is arranged with its serrations extending across the said discharge opening for leveling the layer of ber discharging from said ue, and a discharge apron located immediately beneath the open lower end of the ue for receiving and discharging said layer of ber.

11. The combination as claimed in claim 8 'wherein the opening means comprises feed rolls, a pin cylinder for tearing ber from the feed rolls, and a doffer for stripping ber from the pin cylinder, the said feed rolls being adjustable toward and from each other, the pin cylinder being adjustable toward and from the feed rolls, and the doffer being adjustable toward and from the pin cylinder.

12. A hopper feeder comprising, in combination, a distributor for lint and like ber for directing the ber across a hopper feeder, a ue co-acting with said distributor, said flue communicating with said distributor in position to have lint or like ber fed across the intake end of the flue for delivery of such ber thereto, means in the ue for preventing substantial compression of ber against the side of the ue as an incident to the feed of the ber across the intake by the distributor, and ber opening means for ber passing through the ue.

13. The combination as claimed in claim 12 wherein the ber opening means comprises feed rolls, a pin cylinder therefor, and a doffer for the pin cylinder, said rolls, cylinder and doer being adjustable relative to each other.

14. The combination as claimed in claim 12 f with means at the discharge end of the flue for leveling the layer of ber discharged therefrom.

15. In hopper feeders for cotton lint and like fiber, the combination, with a ue, of a hopper arranged therein, a distributor co-acting with said ue for moving the lint across the mouth of the hopper, means dividing the hopper into compartments for independently receiving ber delivered to the flue by the distributor, opening means for said ber within the ue, the ue having a lateral discharge opening, and means in the flue for leveling the layer of ber passing through said opening.

ALFRED P. ALDRICH, JR. 

